Please Help! Snake dies while eating...

[Jessica Loesch]

Qt process is supposed to be 90 days. However doesn't sound like it contributed to your issue. Hope yo figure it out.

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[Simple Man]

95 degrees won't get the rodents hot enough IMO. When I was doing F/T I had the water at almost 120 degrees and they still needed to blow dry at 140 degrees to get them over 100 for more than a few brief moments. I'm going to reaffirm my original guess that the rodent was too cold internally. I would try a different process if you are going to keep feeding F/T. Sorry to hear about your loss and best of luck moving forward.

Regards,

B

[heathers*bps]

Wow I have never heard of anything like this before. I am so sorry for your loss

[angllady2]

I agree on internal temps.

I've never thought much about my thawing method. I let the rats thaw at room temp for a few hours, then put them under hot tap water for 15 minutes or so. I hit them with a hair dryer to heat the head and I'm good to go. Or so I thought. Imagine my dismay one evening when one of my best eaters struck, coiled, started swallowing and then spit out the rat. I reheated it with the hair dryer and no interest. I decided to try heating one more time, and while massaging the rat and turning it over, I moved the hair dryer by accident, and was shocked to find the center of the rat felt cold. Not cool, but truly cold. I borrowed my hubby's temp gun, and discovered all the rats I thought were ready to go, were actually still partially frozen in the stomach area.

I began leaving the rats under a thin, running stream of hottest tap water for a full 30 minutes before I towel dry them, then I use the hair dryer to give a final all over heating. Since I started this new method, I've had many picky eaters become voracious feeders. I don't know how I didn't make one of my babies sick, but I have no doubt in time I would have done just that or worse.

So, if for no other reason than peace of mind, double check those temps before feeding the f/t. They should be at least 100 before offering.

Gale

[rabernet]

My guess is that the snake aspirated fluid when it regurgitated the rat, and potentially suffocated on that. While snakes can regurgitate, it's very tough on them, and considering that the windpipe (aka glottis) is located on the floor of the snake's mouth, it's relatively easy for one to accidentally breathe in some digestive fluids while in the process of "throwing up" a meal.

Very sorry for your loss.

^This. This is the most plausible explanation to me. I've also lost an adult snake through re-gurgitation, and Kara explained this to me at the time.

[Boomstick]

I brought the ball python to my vet for an autopsy and samples are being sent away for research. Just precautionary measures. Thanks everyone for your input.

[Quickone4u]

I agree on internal temps.

I've never thought much about my thawing method. I let the rats thaw at room temp for a few hours, then put them under hot tap water for 15 minutes or so. I hit them with a hair dryer to heat the head and I'm good to go. Or so I thought. Imagine my dismay one evening when one of my best eaters struck, coiled, started swallowing and then spit out the rat. I reheated it with the hair dryer and no interest. I decided to try heating one more time, and while massaging the rat and turning it over, I moved the hair dryer by accident, and was shocked to find the center of the rat felt cold. Not cool, but truly cold. I borrowed my hubby's temp gun, and discovered all the rats I thought were ready to go, were actually still partially frozen in the stomach area.

I began leaving the rats under a thin, running stream of hottest tap water for a full 30 minutes before I towel dry them, then I use the hair dryer to give a final all over heating. Since I started this new method, I've had many picky eaters become voracious feeders. I don't know how I didn't make one of my babies sick, but I have no doubt in time I would have done just that or worse.

So, if for no other reason than peace of mind, double check those temps before feeding the f/t. They should be at least 100 before offering.

Gale

I have to agree with simpleman and angllady on this one. Although I don't feed F/T, I do know how long it can take to properly thaw and warm things and a lot of people really don't realize just how long this process can take. By the thawing/warming method you have described using I'm going to go with this being a contributing factor of the death along with the possibility of the asphyxiation/drowning from regurgitation. It is possible if the rat was still possibly/partially frozen that it led to the regurgitation and possible asphyxiation together. This is just speculation of course but, I stick to my original thoughts on the thawing process. Even a small animal like a rat can take a good while to fully thaw and then even longer to bring up to the proper feeding temp without overdoing it and cooking it. I would definitely adjust your method regarding this area to be safe.
Either way though, I am very sorry to hear of your loss and hope you can find an answer and solution soon!

[RyanT]

This is exactly why I dont feed F/T. When you have 25+ snakes this process takes WAY too long. I just simply feed live and keep a careful eye out. Now feeding takes me maybe 30min-an hour.

I have always fed f/t. My collection always fluctuates between 10 and 25, depending on the time of year. I thaw the rats while I'm cleaning and watering. Mine typically only take about an hour to an hour and a half in hot water, being changed 3 to 4 times throughout the process. Always squeeze the midsection and head to feel for cold spots.

[EverEvolvingExotics]

Wow, I have never heard of something like this. Thank you for the useful post for others and myself to learn from. I am deeply sorry for your losses.

I usually thaw out my rodents in a ziplock bag the night before feeding in the refrigerator. The following night I heat up the head for a minute or so and the body for a bit with a hair dryer. I have never checked for temps on the actual rodent.

This was very eye opening and will make me change my thawing process.

[bubblz]

Frozen or thawed,.. I use a heating pad with a timer. Just so I don't forget while I'm off doing other stuff.